Dealer Another Deere dealership pulled

   / Another Deere dealership pulled #1  

dgl24087

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May 6, 2004
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Va/WV
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1975 John Deere 1530
John Deere pulls local franchise
Posted: Tuesday, Sep 8th, 2009
BY: Amanda Hayes/Senior Staff Writer 9-7-09

WEBL&T.jpg
This John Deere tractor is one of the many pieces of equipment that may soon disappear from longtime Upshur County business L&T Farm Equipment if the decision to revoke their franchise goes through. The familiar green and yellow of the John Deere logo will be absent from a local farm equipment store starting in November unless the corporate office relents.

L&T Farm Equipment, located in Tennerton across from the West Virginia State Police barracks, was notified last week that October 31 would be its last date as a John Deere franchise.

"They say we are not performing up to their expectations, co-owner Lancel Light said Friday afternoon. We are not selling enough equipment."
The business was first told about the possibility of losing the franchise in April, but Light said in the last few days there has been a big push from the corporate office.

"It means we are going to lose our John Deere dealership, and all the parts and service to our customers is going to be eliminated, he said.

Light's brother started L&T Farm Equipment 24 years ago, and Light and Tim Cutright purchased the dealership from him.

Over the years, Light said the business has built up a client base from Upshur and surrounding counties.

"Our main disappointment is for our customers, he said. They've been depending on us and our dealership."
Light said there is something customers can do to make their feelings known: Letters of support for L&T Farm Equipment to keep its John Deere franchise may be written to John Deere, Attention Grant Tice, 5400 Frantz Road Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43016.

Despite the probability of losing the John Deere franchise, Light said the business will remain open.

We not closing up and we're not going out of business, he said. "We built this business on service to the customers."
L&T Farm Equipment carries a few other lines, and Light said the business would be searching for another tractor line to replace John Deere.

Local farmers expressed their disappointment with the news.

Upshur County resident Buddy Brady said, "It's kind of disappointing to anybody that has John Deere equipment. Their (L&T Farm Equipment) service cannot be beat."
Brady said he had already called Tice and plans to write a letter to the company.

If John Deere really cares about their customers, then why are they doing this? he asked.

Another local farmer, George Roessing, said having to go to Flatwoods or Fairmont (the two closest John Deere dealers) would make things tough if there was an equipment breakdown.

"L & T has been awful good on service, he said. "Now we've got to go 100 miles for repairs. I've used John Deere equipment for years but I will no longer use John Deere if there is any other equipment within a reasonable distance."
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #3  
They did the same thing to our dealership in Lawrence county Alabama. It had been in business for almost 50 years. We couldn't do anything to save it, even calling the corporate office and letter writing didn't do any good.
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #4  
They did the same thing with my local dealer last year. John Stokowski & Sons Inc. located in Granville N.Y. was a family owned JD dealer for over 50 years. They lived and bleed JD green and were the nicest people you could ever meet. Took the dealership away for the same reason above. I really like the JD products but can't say enough at how mad this made me that I have lost alot of my loyalty to JD. With the way the economy is I don't understand their reasoning. When they came and took the equipment away, they didn't even thank them for their years of service.

Curt.
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #5  
With the way the economy is I don't understand their reasoning. When they came and took the equipment away, they didn't even thank them for their years of service.
Curt.

Consolidating dealerships has nothing to do with the economy. Its been a growing corporate policy for many years. Many of the dealer associations are pushing legislation to prevent the strong arming done to dealers by manufacturers like Deere. We've got a bill going to the PA Senate right now.
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #6  
We've got a bill going to the PA Senate right now.

And what exactly is the purpose of this bill? To force companies to "carry" small under performing dealers and keep them in business? Believe me I don't like the idea of one dealer (in any business, not just tractors) controlling the market but at some point isn't the "small" dealer responsible for not making the changes required to keep up with the times? Trust me I would like to go to the old "Flying A" gas station again on the corner and buy a .5 cent Coke and play a .10 cent game of pool but I don't see that happening...
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #7  
Cat dealer..tractors and attachments..also lost his dealership last fall for not selling enough not to far from me in VT...what a shame. :(
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #8  
And what exactly is the purpose of this bill? To force companies to "carry" small under performing dealers and keep them in business?.

No, not at all. As it stands about 30 states already what have some version of what they are bringing up here. It protects manufacturs from telling dealers what competitive lines they can or can not carry, it forces them to pay for warrenty work that the dealer does on their behalf, and a host of things like this that amount to nothing but the manufacturers bullying dealers around, and taking money out of our pockets by force. Deere has the worst reputation in the business in this reguard, thats reflected in their scores in the dealer -> manufacturer surveys that are published every year. You see the results of some of that surfacing online.
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled #9  
I have heard rumors of something similar close to here. About 15-20 years ago an A/C dealer was pretty much begged by JD to become the local dealer. They sold more JD equipment than most other chains in our area out of a single store. Their prices were lower also. I heard last year that JD is looking to pull their dealership and have a chain take over. This is a family owned business that reputation really kept them open. A great family, great support and great business skills that will eventually be pushed out the door.
 
   / Another Deere dealership pulled
  • Thread Starter
#10  
The dealership mentioned in the original post has picked up Massey Ferguson.
 
 
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